Citation preview
Early Literacy Booklet A collection of tips, resources, activities,
and games
to help your child become a better reader. Created by Read On
Tempe
Creating a Literate Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .1
Online Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Helpful Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Book List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Environmental Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Sentence Strips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13
Table of Contents
Children’s Books Nursery rhymes, ABC books, informational books and
storybooks.
Letters Alphabet blocks, foam letters for the bathtub, ABC puzzles,
magnetic refrigerator letters, ABC cookie cutters, letter stamps or
letter stickers.
Writing materials Thick markers, paint brushes, pencils or
crayons.
Reading and writing materials for parents Having a bookshelf full
of books, reading the local newspaper, and having a note- pad for
writing grocery lists and phone messages show that reading and
writing serve valuable everyday purposes.
Props for pretend play Empty cereal boxes, old necklaces and an old
pot and wooden spoon make ideal items for make-believe
scenarios.
Videos Concept videos such as ABCs and rhyming or videos of
familiar books.
PBS created a list of tools to have in your home that can help you
in supporting your child’s development of reading, writing, and
talking.
How to Create a Literate Home
1
How to talk to your baby from Read On Arizona:
http://www.readonarizona.org/resources/smart-talk/resources-and-tools/
A list of 21 online literacy resources:
https://www.teachthought.com/literacy/21-literacy-resources-for-the-digital-teacher/
A list of 15 literacy activities for preschoolers:
https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/literacy-activities-for-pre-
schoolers/
A collection of printable literacy activities:
https://www.giftofcuriosity.com/literacy-activities-for-kids-page
Information on boosting learning time: www.vroom.org
Use these resources to find more activities, suggestions, and
helpful tips.
Online Resources
First Things First: www.firstthingsfirst.org
Kid Zone: www.tempe.gov/kidzone
Below is contact information for organizations that can provide
additional resources.
Helpful Organizations
Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate ABC by June Soble
Jump, Frog, Jump by Robert Kalan
The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone
I Want To Be An Astronaut by Byron Barton
Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill
A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na
Read On Arizona has created a list of suggested books for
preschoolers. In addition to these wonderful titles, there
are
many other books that your child can enjoy at the Tempe Public
Library! The youth library staff will be happy to help you
find
what you are looking for as well as offer you more
suggestions!
Book List
4
Tips for all ages: • Read to your child every day or as often as
possible. Get comfortable, choose board books for babies or touch
and feel books for toddlers, and pause to let your child look at
each page.
• Only read while your child is interested, not for a specific
amount of time.
• Point to the words as well as the pictures.
• Read classic nursery rhymes and sing songs with your child.
• Incorporate movements with rhymes and songs whenever
possible.
Activities for 0-12 months: • Narrate what is happening in the
world around you to your baby even if they cannot respond or show
signs of understanding. Fill their world with rich language.
• Teach your baby simple sign language (e.g. yes, no, more, thank
you, milk) so that they can communicate nonverbally before they
begin talking, and to supplement words when they can talk. There
are many resources online and books available on baby signs.
Activities for 1-2 years: • Have your child “read” to you even if
they can’t actually read. Allow them to hold the book and turn the
pages as they make up the story. Ask questions as they “read” their
story.
• Play “I Spy” games where you ask your child to look for something
and then point it out. You can also ask your child to answer
questions about the object, such as asking what color it is, or if
there are any similar objects close by.
• Write the alphabet, short words, or your child’s name in large,
neat letters. Then guide their finger over the letters while saying
each letter, name, or sound.
• Visit the library together often. Select books based on your
child’s interests, or ask a librarian for help choosing
age-appropriate books.
Literacy Activities: 0-2 Years
5
Sand/Flour/Cornmeal Letters: • Pour flour or cornmeal in a large
dish/cookie sheet or find an area with sand. Show your child how to
use their fingers to write their name, the alphabet, or sight words
in the flour or sand. Encourage your child to make drawings and try
to write new words. Materials: Sand/flour/cornmeal, large shallow
bin or cookie sheet
Hey, That’s My Letter Game: • When reading to your child, ask them
to pick out certain letters such as the first letter of their name.
Every time they see the letter on the page, they should point out
that letter. You can ask them to find letters that are found
frequently in the book that you are reading. For example, you could
ask them to find the letters ‘C’ and ‘T’ while reading “The Cat in
the Hat.” Materials: Books of interest to your child
Beginning Sounds Bingo: • First print out the game (found at:
www.giftofcuriosity.com/product/ beginning-sounds-bingo). Play with
your child by saying a letter and then having them place a marker
in the square with the picture that starts with that letter (e.g.
they hear “D” and then find the dog picture). Show your child the
reference sheet if they are struggling. Help them find the correct
pictures as needed to avoid frustration. Materials: Bingo playing
sheets, bingo reference pages, bingo markers
Letter Matching Game: • Write the upper and lower case of the same
letters on two different pieces of the same colored paper, then mix
them up. Have your child pair each set of letters. Paint sample
cards from the hardware store can be used. Ask the sales person if
you can select enough for the entire alphabet. Materials: Pieces of
colored paper, markers, scissors
Literacy Activities: 3-4 Years
6
Sight Word Catch: • Play sight word catch. Write sight words that
your child is learning on individual pieces of masking tape and
place those pieces of tape around a ball. Throw the ball back and
forth with your child, and ask them to read the word on the ball
that their thumb lands on. When you catch the ball, you can also
read the word that your own thumb lands on so that your child
becomes familiar with hearing the words on the ball. When your
child is familiar with all the words on the ball, you can replace
them with new ones. This can also be done with the letters of the
alphabet and numbers. Materials: Large ball (kick or basketball),
masking tape, markers, list of sight words
Sight Word Memory Cards: • Create a memory card game for your child
with sight words. You can write ten pairs of sight words on flash
cards or use an online template. Mix the cards up and lay them
face-down on a flat surface. Have your child turn cards over two at
a time to look for matching pairs. If the two cards they flipped
over are a matching pair, remove them from the game and have your
child read the word. If the two cards are not a matching pair, say
each word and then put them back in their places face down.
Continue the game until all ten pairs have been matched. If your
child is having trouble with the game, you can use fewer matching
pairs until your child feels more confident. Materials: Flash
cards, marker, list of sight words
Mystery Bag: • Place three or more objects that start with the same
letter inside a bag. Have your child pull out all the objects and
name them. Then ask for the “mystery letter.” For example, if you
had a pencil, paper, paint, and a toy pig in your bag, the “mystery
letter” would be “P.” Extend this activity by getting your child
involved in finding more objects around the house that begin with
that letter. Materials: Paper bags, objects of the same beginning
letters
Erase the Sound: • Draw something on a whiteboard, chalkboard, or
with pencil and paper. Say a letter aloud, have your child identify
an object in the drawing that starts with that letter, and then
erase that object. For example, a drawing of a house has a door for
“D,” a window for “W,” and a porch for “P.” Materials: White/chalk
board and markers
Literacy Activities: 5 Years
7
Ask your child to identify these images. Have a conversation about
where they might be found or who might use them.
Environmental Print
Trace the Letters
Trace the Words
LIKE THE FOR THAT
WHAT DID NOT WHEN
HOW AND HAVE THIS
Find the sight words below by looking up, down, and across!
Sight Word Search
Sentence Strips
Sentence Strips
13
tempe.gov/government/human-services/family-community-support/
kindergarten-readiness/read-on-tempe
“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you
need is a book!”
– Dr. Seuss